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Does this plant look dead?

mclarke4_mclarke4_ Posts: 15
edited April 2023 in Plants
Hi, I have (or had) what I think is a type of jasmine growing against one of my fences. The leaves suddenly dropped in mid Feb and haven't shown any sign of coming back. Does it look dead in the attached picture? I have attached one showing it with leaves before and a recent one showing what it looks like now (this plant is just the woody stems in the photo there are also some clematis leaves behind it)

Thanks

Posts

  • vsleela2021vsleela2021 Posts: 1
    If there is no green anywhere in the stems, roots can still be checked. Carefully dig the plant from the soil and look for roots that are light, supple, and have little to no scent. Dead roots will either be mushy and smelly or dry and brittle
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Many people grow these @mclarke4_ and they often look like that after winter. They don't thrive here so it's not a plant I grow.
    However - having it in the same site as a clematis can/could be a problem.
    I can only see clematis in your photos though. The woody stems and the small white flowers are clematis.  Are the jasmine leaves the bigger green ones or the yellow ones at the foot of the 2nd pic? 
    Please don't go digging around the roots - you'll just risk damaging plants further, including other ones nearby. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    Give your plant at least another couple of months before writing it off as dead. last summer and winter has affected a great many shrubs which in the past have soared through the winter. You can try scratching the lower stems with your finger nail. If the wood is green the plant is still alive. Do not dig it up yet.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited April 2023
    Some jasmines lose their leaves in the winter.  Some are tender.

    "To dig up the tree to look at the roots" is a well known gardeners' saying.  It's equivalent to saying "kill by kindness".

    If you wait, the roots will tell you if they are still alive.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @mclarke4_ From one of your previous posts. J Fiona Sunrise? Not sure how tough it is not hardy here in a cold winter. Guess you live further south as you can grow Muehlenbeckia.
    Perhaps someone who grows it more locally to you can give an update.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • mclarke4_mclarke4_ Posts: 15
    Fairygirl said:
    Many people grow these @mclarke4_ and they often look like that after winter. They don't thrive here so it's not a plant I grow.
    However - having it in the same site as a clematis can/could be a problem.
    I can only see clematis in your photos though. The woody stems and the small white flowers are clematis.  Are the jasmine leaves the bigger green ones or the yellow ones at the foot of the 2nd pic? 
    Please don't go digging around the roots - you'll just risk damaging plants further, including other ones nearby. 
    Thanks for your response they are in the first pic. The second pic the plant has lost its leaves (there is a separate jasmine below). It may not be a jasmine, a neighbour mentioned it was but not certain and I am somewhat of a gardening ignoramus.

    I thought the plant might be dead because it didn't lose its leaves last year but will check the branches to see if there are any signs of green
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